Who would have dreamed a year ago that the big names at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show would be Acura, Hyundai, Kia, and Mazda? Who would have ever imagined that a U.S. auto show would be dominated by companies from Japan and Korea?

Everyone thought the Chicago Auto Show would be a great opportunity for the Big 3 to pull out the stops and put a positive spin on a bad situation. But, instead of a much-needed infusion of confidence, all the Big 3 got was an old-school whuppin’ at the hands of the Foreign 4.

While the Big 3 was busy taking private jets to Washington D.C., closing production facilities and laying off workers at an alarming rate, it seems that the Foreign 4 has been hard at work.

Sure, the Big 3 did unveil some great new cars. But, questions still remain. How quickly can they get these vehicles to market? Are they earmarking bailout money for these projects? (They must be.) But, while the Big 3 wonders, the Foreign 4 plunders, and that’s the name of that tune.

4 new cars from the Foreign 4: The 2010 Acura TSX V-6, the 2010 Hyundai Genesis coupe R-Spec, the 2010 Kia Forte, and the 2009 Mazda MX-5 were displayed at the Chicago Auto Show.

Read the article from Kirk Bell, contributing author to CarReview and Search Chicago, after the jump:

If you’re looking for a moderately-priced quick little vehicle with a contemporary look, top-tier features, and dynamics that make it a pleasure to drive, the 2010 MAZDASPEED3 — the newest version of the MazdaSpeed family — might just be the car for you.

This is the zoom-zoomiest of the Mazdas, with a 2.3-liter direct-injection turbocharged 4-cylinder 263 hp, 280 lb-ft torque engine. They’ve upgraded the Mazda3 concept with this newest version, utilizing the latest design enhancements (many borrowed from its main predecessor, the Mazda6) and featuring the addition of a body kit, dual-exhaust, rear diffuser, new wheels with larger rims, a slightly larger rear wing, and a new bulging hood with an impressive scoop.

The first new MazdaSpeed model since 2007 and the third model in the 2010 MAZDA3 lineup, this car has been described as a “road rocket”; “the definition of sporty”; and “The MAZDA3 kicked up a notch”. The 2010 MAZDASPEED3 tested well at Germany’s famed Nürburgring track last year and car enthusiasts have been anticipating this car ever since.

(Retails for $22,740-$24,455)
Read the Mazda press release after the jump:

Beating rhythmically underneath the hood is the heart of the the RX-7 and RX-8 — a Wankel rotary engine. Wankel is such a funny sounding name, but the rotary engine (originally conceived and developed by Dr. Felix Wankel) is much more energy efficient than a typical combustion engine with pistons and cylinders. In a piston engine, the same volume of space (the cylinder) alternately does four different jobs — intake, compression, combustion and exhaust. A rotary engine does these sam­e four jobs, but each one happens in its own part of the housing. It’s kind of like having a dedicated cylinder for each of the four jobs, with the piston moving continually from one to the next.

The Wankel engine has basically one moving part that just spins. And it has a higher power to weight ratio than any traditional engine. Mazda’s RENESIS engine in the RX-8 is remarkably smooth and high revving — all the way to 9,000 rpm — and offers a smaller engine footprint than traditional internal combustion engines. In fact, the packaging and styling that define the RX-8 would not have been possible had Mazda engineers chosen a conventional piston engine.

sa-WEET! I love these little guys. Sure, a lot of people, men mostly, look at Miatas as being “girls cars”. They either don’t know the first thing about sports cars, have never ridden in the passenger seat of one when a competent driver is at the wheel, or are in the midst of some heavy Freudian psychology (e.g. compensation and denial).

If MG/Austin-Healey/TR had been making cars like this in the 70s, they’d still be in business … but alas, they did not, and for too many years, the affordable drop top was not seen on these shores (or anywhere else for that matter). In ’89 Mazda changed all that with the introduction of the Miata. It’s in its third generation by now (if you ignore a couple of half-gen updatings here & there), and no longer officially called the Miata. Now Mazda calls it the MX-5 here in the U.S., and in the home country it’s referred to as “The Roadster”.

We have driving shots of the newly redesigned 2010 Mazda MAZDA3 that was officially revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Mazda also tells us that the 3 will carry over its 2.0L four-cylinder, but be joined by a larger 2.5L engine to replace the current car’s 2.3L. As for the Mazda3 five-door hatchback, we’ll have to wait until some time after the L.A. Auto Show for that.

In an effort to raise cash and prop up its faltering balance sheets, Ford Motor Company has sold 20% of its stake in Mazda, netting the blue oval boys $540 Million. This follows on the heals of GM selling of 3% of their stake in Suzuki (netting the General $230 Million).

According to statements from both Ford and Mazda, this will not effect their ongoing joint ventures, as well as the sharing of platforms and powertrains. That makes sense for both entities. especially for Ford. what will be needed in the near future will be smaller, more fuel efficient engines, which Mazda seems to have by the boxcar load.

Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally said, This agreement allows Ford to raise capital that will help fund our product-led transformation, and at the same time, allows Ford and Mazda to continue our successful strategic relationship in the best interest of both companies. Ford will continue to focus on the Ford brand worldwide and deliver the products our customers really want and value.”

And Mazda Chairman, President and CEO Hisakazu Imaki added, “The sale of Mazda shares by our partner, Ford, will not result in any change in Mazda’s strategic direction and we will continue to accelerate our product-led brand improvement and cost innovation initiatives. We will continue our strategic relationship through our ongoing joint ventures with Ford, as well as the sharing of platforms and powertrains.”

In our lives we’ve all met people with exceptional and widely varied interests and skills. Whether it’s writing a novel, building a log cabin, flying a plane, playing in an 80′s butt-rock band, reciting the Dictionary or completing more than one Ironman triathlon, we all have friends with some unique and bizarre interests. But what if all these interests resided in one person? A person this multi-faceted is often referred to as a Renaissance Man, and often draws the respect and admiration of everyone he meets. And if there was ever a parallel car to match this beloved persona, it would be the MAZDA3 – The true Renaissance Car.